Chapter 36 – Our Second Chance

By ten o'clock that evening, Jack and Rose had taken her belongings to Jack's bunk. Sharing a room with three other men and Jack was something which she wasn't so keen on but it was only for a few more days until they reached New York. There had been talk that they would be docking by the evening on Tuesday night which left just two more days on board. This was the beginning for them and they needed to spend the next few days trying to fathom out just how their relationship was going to be, perhaps even talk of their next move. The possibilities were endless and the excitement was bubbling beneath the surface.

Jack closed the door to his room. It had been empty, all of his friends would have been drinking and playing card games someplace. He was glad to not have to face the questions. He turned to Rose. ''Now what?''

He would happily take her to the bar below decks but he wanted to spend some time with her just the two of them for she had finally left Cal and that meant everything to him.

A mischievous grin came across her face. ''We go explore.''

She produced a key from her right hand and Jack took it from her. ''What is this for?''

''Every room we want to go in.'' Rose snatched it back from his hand. ''Mr. Andrews gave it to me. I have to return it by tomorrow which is why we must make use of it tonight whilst people are still at dinner.''

Rose walked beside him. He couldn't think of a better idea. ''We need to celebrate freedom.'' He reached out and they entwined hands as they walked the long corridor back to the deck to reach the first class. It was the first time they had shown such affection in a public place and it felt perfect.

First up was the gymnasium which Rose had toured earlier on that day with the Captain and Mr. Andrews. Rose unlocked the door. It was lit only by light from outside on the deck. They both sneaked in and locked the door behind them.

Rose's heels clacked on the cold smooth floor. ''Care to try the camel?'' Jack whispered in a stuffy voice.

''Why yes.'' Rose giggled snobbishly.

He helped her onto the electric camel as though it was a horse. She sat straddling it with her legs dangling both sides and as Jack switched it on it undulated suddenly, Rose squealed as she fell backwards just as Jack caught her.

She laughed as she found her balance to stand up straight once again and Jack quickly turned it off. He couldn't speak for laughing.

''Perhaps we should not ride the camel, ma'am.'' He kept up their pretence of snobbery until she quickly grabbed his shirt and pulled him to the pillar in between the windows. A shadow walked past the window and she pressed her finger to his lips.

They fell silent right away as heavy clogged feet could be heard walking outside. She giggled almost silently and she fell against his body, sagging with relief.

He kissed her hair. ''Phew.'' He whispered.

''Imagine been caught riding the electric horse so late at night.''

''I am working on my physique.'' Jack put on a very deep voiced genteel accent.

''Shh.'' Rose placed her finger to his lips once again. This time he kissed her finger before quickly removing it and finding her lips in the dark, he kissed her so unexpectedly it took her breath away. He held tightly onto her left hand and grabbed her hip with his right. She extended her arm and pressed it against the cool wall. He pinned her against it with his arm as she pressed her hips to his as they deepened their kiss. Seconds later, he pulled away and loosened his grip on her arm.

''Where to next?'' He whispered. He couldn't allow himself to become too carried away in the gymnasium.

She was too into the moment to even comprehend what he had said until she realised they couldn't stay here for too long. ''The Turkish Baths.'' She led him towards the door which she quietly unlocked. ''I wanted to go there from the day we set sail.''

''The Turkish what?''

The Turkish baths were located on the starboard side of 'F' deck. The suite comprised of a steam room, a hot room, a temperate room, a toilet and a cooling room. Once they had entered the steam room. Rose turned a knob and it squirted steam into the room.

It was a mysterious place of shadows and fog. After just a few seconds, Jack had lost sight of Rose. He looked for her in the mist and she dodged him. He could hear her giggles as he found his way around. She was playing with him, the devilish streak which she only showed once in a while. He came across a concrete pillar and then he saw her shadow. She was dancing. He watched her for just a few seconds. The feeling building up inside his stomach. He loved her so much. He couldn't take it much more, he had to be close to her. He roughly caught her hand and shoved her up against the pillar. He crushed his lips to hers as he pressed her forehead to hers.

He could taste the sweat on her face as he ran both of his hands down the curve of either side of her body. She allowed him to kiss her neck as she ragged his jacket from his arms and it fell to the floor in a puddle.

''I was scared of the fire that I love about you burning out. You can only suppress it for so long. I will never try. You can burn forever with me.''

Their eyes found each others eyes in the darkness. Passion burning for the other. His words were so real to her. She continued to kiss him. Her spark was back, she felt as though she was on fire but more than anything she needed him to make love to her.

A bang startled them and the steam began to fade. Quickly, Jack grabbed Rose's hand as they made a run for it to the door. He had left his jacket behind but he didn't care. They ran out into the corridor right to the end until they found a door which they bolted through. They laughed hard as they caught their breaths in the fan room.

A figure followed the corridor which they had just ran down and quickly Jack grabbed Rose's hand and they entered the roaring ran room. Sweat trickled down their face from both the sauna and the running. There was no way out except for a ladder down. Jack latched a deadbolt on the door. Whoever had chased them slammed up against it.

''Where do we go now?'' Rose shouted as she covered her ears.

''What?'' Jack laughed. He pointed to the ladder. ''After you m'lady?''

Rose shook her head. ''No you first!''

Jack scrammed down the ladder first and found himself in boiler room six. He helped Rose down the ladder and she jumped into his arms. They took a quick glance around. How had they wound up here?

It was like a vision of hell itself, with the roaring furnaces and black figures moving in the smoky glow.

''What are you doing down here?'' A voice dragged Jack back to the reality. A man stood beside him puzzled by the appearance of two passengers.

Quickly Rose grabbed Jack's collar and dragged him as they began to run the length of the boiler room.

''Don't mind us, carry on you are doing a great job. Keep up the good work.'' He shouted about the din. Men stopped their jobs for just a second to catch sight of them running the length of the boiler room. No one thought to question, too stunned by their presence.

Jack pulled her through the fiercely hot alley between two boilers and they wound up in the dark, out of sight of the working crew. Watching from the shadows, they could see the stokers working in the hellish glow, shovelling coal into the insatiable maws of the furnaces. The whole place thundered with the roar of the fires.

Rose turned to Jack. The passion in her eyes for him stirred something deep inside. He needed her. He wanted to kiss her so much but he couldn't not here and now.

He grabbed her hand and they continued running to the end of the boiler room. They came across a heavy door which Jack unlatched. They were in the cargo room.

It was freezing in contrast to the steam room and the boiler room. Immediately, Rose felt the goose bumps on her skin. She hugged herself against the coldness of the room. Jack held her hand, dodging between the rows of stacked mail. It was dark and almost eerie. They came across a brand new Renault touring car.

It looked like a royal coach from a fairy tale, its brass trim and headlamps nicely set off by its deep burgundy colour. Jack let go of Rose's hand to explore. He had never seen such a magnificent vehicle. Rose stopped by the door and royally cleared her throat. Jack laughed, remembering the game they had played in the gymnasium. He held out his hand to allow her into the backseat.

''Thank you.'' She held her head high as she climbed into the lushly upholstered back seat. There were cut crystals bud vases on the walls back there, each containing a rose. She felt the familiar flutter in her stomach for just a few seconds. She pulled down the divider window as Jack jumped into the drivers seat he was enjoying the feeling of the leather and the wood having never sat in the driving seat of a car.

''Where to Miss?'' He continued their game playing the upper class British gentleman.

Rose leant in close to him and whispered seductively in his ears. ''To the stars.''

He turned his head to face her but her hands came out of the shadows and pulled him over the seat into the back. He landed next to her, and his breath seemed loud in the quiet darkness. He looks at her and she is smiling. It is the moment of truth. They felt as though they were the only two people in the world. Jack closed the window divider so they were alone in the back of the car. The coldness wasn't as evident as she found herself moving closer to Jack so that his left arm was around her shoulder.

They said nothing for a few minutes as they entwined their fingers. They enjoyed the silence, each others company and both kept their thoughts to themselves. There wasn't much to say. They belonged to each other now. No going back. No words needed. She kissed his fingertips then he stroked her face, cherishing her.

''Are you nervous?'' His voice was husky, his throat dry. An indication that he was.

''No.'' She whispered back to him. Seconds later she directed his hand to her breast. ''Put your hands on me, Jack.''

He couldn't hold out any longer. He crushed his lips to hers, kneading her breast beneath the material of her dress. They slid down onto the seat with Rose laid beneath him. She managed to open her legs to allow him to lie in-between them.

He trailed kisses down her neck, she shivered and resisted the urge to moan. She sighed aloud, glad to have him back with her. All of the passion which had built up since their meeting was something which had remained at the back of her mind.

She felt her way to his collar before unbuttoning his shirt. Once his shirt was unbuttoned, she ran her hand across his bare chest and stomach. He ripped his arms from his shirt and found his fingers trembling as he unbuttoned the back of her dress. It was very intricate for him but he worked fast. He ached to be close to her. To feel their naked torsos pressed together. He pulled the dress downwards, exposing her breasts and then she arched her hips as he pulled it from her legs and detangled it before throwing it onto the floor. She wore nothing beneath the dress. She was naked before him once again and she was more beautiful than he remembered.

As quickly as he could, he removed his own pants and undergarments. She watched in awe of him, his body and the loving way his eyes never left hers. Within seconds she was back in his arms. She felt him move against her and couldn't wait for him to make love to her. He kissed across her chest, tickling her as he did so, causing goose bumps to appear. He looked at her, completely in awe at her beauty.

Neither of them could wait anymore. They kissed passionately as they made love, feeling things neither of them had ever felt before. It was almost natural to them both. Neither of them had experienced anything close to what they had now. They pleasure they felt was intense, and Rose clung to Jack as though for dear life. She nibbled his neck in places before sucking slightly, causing the areas to darken. He opened his eyes for a moment and came face-to-face with Rose. He saw that her lips were swollen. They curved into a smile before he moved his mouth to kiss her once again. He continued to drive himself into her and she felt a spasm hit her like never before. She clung to him for dear life as she felt her orgasm, one like she had never felt before.

He, too, began to shake. Hearing her moans seem to spur him on more and, seconds later, he felt himself explode and shake like never before. Rose clung to his body, feeling his heat.

Their heart beat quickly in the tender moment. He knew he would never let her go again.

''Nothing this beautiful can be wrong.'' She whispered to him. ''Never let me go.''

She kissed his forehead.

''I never will.''

He relaxed his body back against hers as they savoured the sweet moment. The feeling of been back in his arms so intimately was wonderful. She never though that she would feel this way, so content all of the past was behind her. Their insecurities had been laid to rest or so she hoped. He had opened her eyes to yet more new experiences, heightened her senses so that she fully believed anything was possible. A weight had been lifted from her shoulders. A heavy burden she had learned to carry from such a young age. Obviously she cared for her mother, in a way she must have cared of Cal, enough to marry him or had she simply cracked under her mother's pressure?

But she had finally realised that she needed to put herself first and spread her wings. Jack had not only become her inspiration, he had become her everything. Life without him had become miserable, almost unbearable. Now he had lightened up her life, the same smile which she had fallen in love with still shone as bright as it had before. The silence between them had grown comfortable. They were content to simply be in each others presence, happy for a second chance at happiness.

A voice could be heard from the boiler room. Jack's body stiffened as he carefully listened out as it grew closer. They would have to move.